Lord Hamilton, the Lord President, has returned to his judicial duties after a three-month absence for treatment over a stress-related condition.
During that time his place was taken by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Gill. The Scottish Parliament passed an emergency bill to permit Lord Gill to undertake functions otherwise reserved by statute to the Lord President.
Lord Hamilton's illness threw into sharp relief the Executive's plans to make the Lord President head of a unified judiciary, with substantial extra administrative duties. A bill that would have implemented the proposals has been postponed until after next year's Holyrood elections.
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